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Wednesday, May 27, 2026

ENERGY MATTERS

It's Wednesday, sci-tech day, so I'll this week draw from the American Energy Society information they send me.  No big surprise that petroleum companies are getting richer because of the Iran War.


But first a post-mortem of Ken Paxton's victory over John Cornyn in the Texas Republican primary.  

  • I thought Paxton would win by 10%.  Turns out that the margin was 28 percentage points, mostly because of President Donald Trump's endorsement.
  • Time magazine had a particularly convictive article, starting with:  For more than a year, Republicans beseeched President Donald Trump’s advisers in the White House with a simple ask: if he couldn’t find his way to endorsing Sen. John Cornyn, could he at least keep his mouth shut?  Further:
    • The point is that Cornyn would have beaten current Democratic Texas state representative James Talarico, who is 37 years old.  At minimal cost.
    • Now, the speculation is that the national Republican Party will need to spend $250 million to try to beat Talarico, at the expense of flipping Democratic seats in Georgia, Michigan and New Hampshire.
  • Not sure why the Republicans are so concerned.
    • To begin, the current betting odds favor Paxton, 56% to 44%.
    • Texas hasn't had a Democrat in the U.S. Senate for almost 40 years, the longest of any state in the union.
  • But Paxton is severely tainted.  According to Google AI:
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has faced a highly controversial reputation defined by years of extensive legal troubles, political polarization, and ethics investigations. His tenure has been marked by multiple high-profile legal controversies, including: [1, 2, 3]
  • Securities Fraud Indictments: He has been under federal indictment for felony securities fraud allegations that date back to 2015.
  • Impeachment Trial: In 2023, the Texas House of Representatives impeached Paxton on numerous articles, including bribery, misuse of public resources, and obstruction of justice. While he was ultimately acquitted by the state Senate, the proceedings highlighted severe allegations of corruption.
  • Whistleblower Settlement: Paxton’s office agreed to a massive payout to settle wrongful termination lawsuits with former top aides who reported his alleged abuse of office to the FBI.
  • Bar Lawsuit: The State Bar of Texas previously sued him for professional misconduct regarding his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
Despite this controversial reputation, Paxton remains a significant force in conservative politics. His defenders view him as a steadfast defender of conservative ideals, while his critics cite his legal baggage as a significant threat to political integrity. You can read more about his official track record on the Texas Attorney General.
My sense is that Talarico can win, for the voting public has changed, and will continue to sway Democratic by election day in November.
Now on to my topic of the day from the American Energy Society.  Who are they?  From Google AI:

Energy Matters is the flagship weekly newsletter and news publication published by the American Energy Society (AES). It provides energy professionals with non-partisan soundbite summaries, trend-spotting maps, and direct access to original sources on climate-tech, fossil fuels, renewables, and global policy. [1, 2, 3]

  • Over half of the sugar produced in the US comes from sugar beets, a process that relies on anthracite coal to turn raw plant juice into pure crystals. This     high-grade coal is burned to create the lime and CO2 used to filter out impurities that would otherwise prevent the juice from crystallizing.  In other words, sugar needs coal.
    • First of all, added sugar is very bad for your body.
    • You can survive without eating added sugar.
    • Mind you, your body must have glucose to power it's cells, especially the brain.  
    • However, your body will create its own glucose from protein and fat through processes like gluconeogenesis, or by producing ketones for fuel.
    • Benefits of cutting out sugar:
      • Heart health.
      • Weight management.
      • Improved cognitive function, focus and memory.
      • Skin and dental health.
    • This, coming from a person who spent the first eight years of my work career in the Hawaii sugar industry.
    • Watch out for fructose.  According to Google AI:

Yes, in the context of processed diets, fructose is generally considered worse for your metabolic health than glucose. [1]
While glucose is the primary energy source for your body's cells and is easily processed throughout the body, fructose must be metabolized almost entirely by your liver. When you consume excessive amounts of added fructose, it can overwhelm the liver, leading to a higher risk of fatty liver disease, increased triglycerides, and insulin resistance. [1, 2, 3, 4]

    • Table sugar is sucrose, which is 50% fructose and 50% glucose.
    • A ripe banana is 3.5% fructose.
    • Honey is 37.5% fructose.
    • Agave (the cactus syrup to make tequila) is between 70% and 90% fructose.
  • An acre of solar panels produced 20-100 times more energy than an acre of corn.
  • Russia controls half of global uranium conversion.
  • Energy budgets.

  • I've been saying this for weeks:
 Whether the Strait of Hormuz is open remains unclear amid conflicting reports of a US blockade on Iranian ports. However, the International Maritime Organization reports a backlog of over 1,600 stalled vessels against a daily transit cap of 140.Even under a best-case scenario—clearing 40 "extra" ships per day—it will take 40 days to resolve the congestion; a more realistic 25-ship daily surplus pushes that recovery to 60 days. Ultimately, the Strait is the "single point of failure" for the global oil economy.

  • March 2026. The average temperature was 9.4°F above average, making it the most anomalous hot month in the historical record. It could be said that the hottest March was the hottest month in history.

  • The U.S. has reduced emissions.

  1. US emissions in 2024 stayed virtually the same as the previous year — up just 0.04%. 
  2. Net US emissions in 2024 were down 3.8% from 1990 levels. 
  3. Emissions in 2024 were nearly 19% below the US emissions peak year of 2005.

  • China is surging ahead in the sales of electric cars.
  • Here is a graphic showing how global energy use has increased.  Note the increased for solar and natural gas, and stabilization of oil and coal usage.
  • While solar has increased, the Sun only shines so many hours/day, and there are clouds sometimes.  Here is a comparison of an average day's load in megawatts of natural gas (60%) and solar (40%).
  • Quote from Billy Leung of Global X ETF: Markets have reached peak uncertainty.
  • A generation ago, Atlantic salmon ran through much of New England; today, they are in just three rivers in Maine.

  • The Iran War returns, but this is because I'm taking excepts from several weeks of Energy Matters.  As I said earlier, I've been writing about the significance of Kharg Island for months.

There’s a lot of news about the US/Israel–Iran war, but the most consequential story is Kharg Island:

    • An Iranian island in the Persian Gulf ~25 km off the coast of Bushehr Province.
    • Stores nearly 30 million barrels of crude.
    • Terminals on the island handle 90% of Iran’s oil exports.
    • Home to Iran’s only deep-water ports capable of loading VLCCs.
    • Main export hub for Iranian oil flows to China.
    • Core source of national revenue.
    • Sanctions have left Iran without the capital, technology, or expertise to rebuild the terminal if destroyed—meaning a single successful strike could cripple its economy and disrupt global markets.
    • The US military faces a bind: Kharg is the Pentagon’s most critical strategic target; recent strikes have hit Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps assets on the Island, but damage to oil infrastructure risks global economic fallout.
    • The US may need to secure Kharg Island to maintain oil flows.
  • Two final quotes:
    • "If we successfully neutralize the Iranian threat, we're not just looking at a temporary price drop—we're looking at a massive unlocking of global energy potential." 
      - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, speaking at a Pentagon briefing
    • “We’re very much in the $150 range but I don’t think it’s ridiculous at all to [suggest] $200. It would be very fair given we are basically having a crisis-a-day right now equivalent to supply outages.” 
      - Onyx Capital Group CEO Greg Newman

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Tuesday, May 26, 2026

OUR FUTURE TRAVEL ADVENTURES

First, some latest news:

  • The war in Iran got a bit muddied yesterday, for there was a minor skirmish at Bandar Abbas, but the ceasefire is supposedly still holding.  Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that the peace deal is only a few words away from settlement, and President Donald Trump continues to send mixed signals about a deal, so the world awaits.
  • Apparently, there are 1,500 ships stranded in the Persian Gulf, now for three months, and before this war, only 130 ships transited the Strait of Hormuz/day.  Plus, there will be the matter of cleaning up the strait of mines, so you can expect high gasoline prices to the end of the summer.
  • In the meantime, considering the drop in support from voters, rebuff from the Congress, worsening economy and gasoline prices, continuation of those two wars, and looming Epstein consequences, the troubled mind of Trump is worsening.  However, a "perfect" physical exam at Walter Reed yesterday is his personal diagnosis.
  • Trump's endorsement of Ken Paxton in the Texas primary runoff for the seat held by John Corning, significantly helped the Attorney General over the four-term senator.  I would not be surprised if Paxton wins by 10% or more today.  So Trump will continue to show influence.

On to my topic of the day.  I get my most viewership while on travel, so I'll alert readers on our next few trips into most of next year.

  • The Total Solar Eclipse of 2026.
    • August 8:  Depart Honolulu on a flight to Seattle, then the next day catch a flight to Reykjavik, Iceland.  Have long wanted to visit this country since I was on a geothermal energy project more than half a century ago.
    • I wondered why I was paying so much for a hotel room, and here is how Google AI responded:

Hotel rooms in Reykjavík are expensive primarily due to severe supply and demand imbalances, extremely high local operating costs, and the heavy tax structure of an island nation. [1, 2]
      • Those above high rates can be doubled during the peak summer season, and August is about the worst time to go there.  
      • Add the rare solar eclipse, and the result was a massive global demand.
    • August 8:  Board the Azamara Journey.  Watch a video touring the ship, with a review.
    • The Journey arrives in Montreal, where we will stay for almost a week, then on to Vancouver to catch the Silversea Silver Whisper back to Hawaii.  Never been on Silversea before.  A tour of the Whisper.  Sit back and enjoy.
In mid-December, we fly to Hanoi, Vietnam to board a Sjourney Luxury Train on a 10-day rail journey, first around the Hanoi region, then on to Ho Chi Minh City, former known as Saigon.  While those Canadian trains had no true opulence, this one does, and with WiFi.  
Hotels don’t get much higher in Ho Chi Minh City than Vinpearl Landmark 81, Autograph Collection. The sleek hotel sits in Landmark 81, the tallest building complex in Vietnam, and its 223 rooms start from the dizzying heights of the 49th floor, all with floor-to-ceiling windows to maximize the views. 
Since Crystal Cruises went bankrupt a few years ago, we've been wanting to get back to them, and as the word is that they remain excellent, we found a two-part cruise on the Crystal Serenity.  We took the Symphony from Japan to Hawaii more than a decade ago.  
  • Fly to Bali to board the Serenity, which takes us to Laem Chabang, Thailand, where we go on to the Mandarin Oriental hotel, still perhaps the #1 hotel in the world.  Says Google AI:
Yes, the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok is universally celebrated as not just a top hotel, but frequently ranked as the absolute best in the world. Often referred to as Bangkok's "La Grande Dame," the historic 148-year-old property offers a masterclass in classic elegance and unparalleled service. [1]

  • We then make a side trip to Chiang Mai and back to Bangkok.
  • One of our favorite hotels in the Sheraton Sukhamvit, so we'll also stay there, close by my tailor, for me to make a few more shirt vests.
  • We fly first class Emirates on their Airbus 380, the one that serves unlimited caviar to Hong Kong, to stay at the Peninsula Hotel.
  • Then board the Crystal Serenity from Hong Kong to Tokyo.
  • A couple of days later, fly back to Honolulu.

We are also contemplating another adventure in the USA for the Fall of 2027, escorted by Non-Stop Travel:

2027 HIGHLIGHTS OF ROUTE 66 WITH MOTHER ROAD & ALBUQUERQUE BALLOON FIESTA 15 Nights / 17 Days Land Tour • Escorted From Honolulu September 22 – October 08, 2027 • Tour Manager: Wally Mau Featuring: Chicago, Pontiac, Springfield, International Route 66 Mother Road Festival, St. Louis, Joplin, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Elk City, Amarillo, Tucumcari, Albuquerque, Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, Gallup, Winslow, Williams, Excursion to Grand Canyon National Park, Seligman, Las Vegas, Victorville & Los Angeles Get your kicks on Route 66 and help celebrate “The Mother Road’s” 100th anniversary with a legendary trip across America. This historic route, which was called the “Main Street of America” for more than 30 years before the advent of the US Interstate system, begins in Chicago, travels through eight states, and ends in Los Angeles. Take a trip down memory lane while traveling along much of Route 66, stopping in small towns and major cities, visiting Route 66 museums, and stepping back to a time when the journey truly was the destination! Experience twice the fun with the two very special events included on your tour — the 25th Annual Mother Road Festival and the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta! The annual Mother Road Festival in Springfield, Illinois, brings automobile and motorcycle enthusiasts with hot cars, cool trucks, and vintage bikes together to salute Route 66 and the tradition of the open road. Enjoy classic cars, live entertainment, and other scheduled activities. Then, hit the road for St. Louis for amazing views of the city and the Mississippi River from atop the 630-foot-tall Gateway Arch. Visit the National Route 66 Museum in Elk City to view antique cars and historic documents that evoke the feeling of traveling this historic road in years gone by. Then time to look up at the International Balloon Fiesta where a colorful spectacle of hundreds of hot-air balloons rise into the sky above Albuquerque. On to Williams Arizona, listed in the National Register for Historic Places, where you’ll see neon signs of the preserved circa 1940s “Motel Row.” Take a detour from Route 66 to see breathtaking scenery at one of the Natural Wonders of the World, the Grand Canyon! Then hit Las Vegas to explore The Strip, take an optional trip to see the engineering marvel, Hoover Dam, or just relax by the pool. Visit the California Route 66 Museum in Victorville which reminisces with exhibits including a 50’s diner, VW Love Bus, and a 1917 Model T Ford. Arrive in Los Angeles and visit Santa Monica and the “End of the Trail” sign denoting the end point of Route 66. Then enjoy a tour of famous landmarks like Hollywood, the Sunset Strip and Beverly Hills. So, sit back, relax, and let Cosmos handle the driving and details while you enjoy the ride during this special centennial year of Route 66! Your Escorted Highlights of Route 66 Land Tour.
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